At long last, the legendary New York Times bestselling author returns with a heartfelt novel of womanhood, a wild heart, and the healing power of love.Run, run, as fast as you can!When life throws her one setback too many, midwife and young widow Tess Hartsong takes off for Runaway Mountain. In this small town high in the Tennessee mountains, surrounded by nature, she hopes to outrun her … surrounded by nature, she hopes to outrun her heartbreak and find the solace she needs to heal.
But instead of peace and quiet, she encounters an enigmatic artist with a craving for solitude, a fairy-tale sprite with too many secrets, a helpless infant, a passel of curious teens, and a town suspicious of outsiders, especially one as headstrong as Tess. Just as headstrong is Ian North, a difficult, gifted man with a tortured soul—a man who makes Tess question everything.
In running away to this new life, Tess wonders— Has she lost herself . . . or has she found her future?
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If I had to use one word to describe this book, I would say it is “raw.” There were lots of raw emotions in this book. It’s complicated, because the emotions of the characters were hidden in one way but put on display and in your face in other ways. Whatever the author did to accomplish this, it totally worked for me. If you are looking for a lighthearted romance like some of Ms. Phillips other works, this may not be for you. There are hard issues, very angry and very sad and grieving people. There is a depth to the characters that I found stunning in their complexity.
I love stories that revolve around characters who have left the big city and relocated to remote places that challenge them in ways they never thought possible. Ian is running from the city to try to find his art again. Tess is running away from her grief and seems to find other people’s grief over and over again, even as she helps the people of the remote town. I totally fell in love with the big, burly Ian and the spunky Tess who would fight for everyone who needed help.
Absolutely loved it!
There really is no way to fully capture the amount of enjoyment I get when I read a book by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. This woman writes characters that I know I’ve met somewhere; they’re just way too real to be the product of anyone’s imagination. When grieving widow Tess Hartsong meets up with rough-edged street artist Ian North, it’s like meeting the most mismatched couple on the face of the planet.
But throw in a motherless baby, a narrow-minded group of characters inhabiting a small town in the Tennessee mountains, and an artist in search of his muse, and there’s no possible way this tale can be anything but wonderful. I’ve read it three times over the past week or so, and figure that maybe if I write a review I can finally put it on my bookshelf—along with all my other books by Ms. Phillips. The thing is, every time I read DANCE AWAY WITH ME, I find something else to smile about.
I highly recommend this one. It’s a wonderful stand alone, though I really want to know more about some of the quirky but wonderful people I’ve gotten to know in the book. This is definitely a “feel good” story. I love it!
This was the best book I’ve read so far this year and last. I loved it.
I wish I could give this 10 gajillion stars…. Wowza, this was your typical Susan Elizabeth Phillips book—AMAZING. The characters, the town, the description for detail, ugh Susan does NOT miss a beat!!
Let me start off by saying that S.E.P. is one of my tried and true authors. I read one of her books one summer break when I was home from college and lemme tell you I was HOOKED. I started going to the local book store (The Book Bug) where you could exchange books or buy books. I would seek out her books and I have read every single one by this author and she NEVER disappoints.
I cannot tell you how much I love a strong heroine. Too often we find these submissive and meek heroines –ugh they get so annoying! I LOVED Tess…she was a badass! Ian was such a sexy brooding artist and Wren was this sweet addition to the couple. I found myself going through all the emotions as I read Tess and Ian’s story. I honestly cannot say enough!!
Loved it! I wasn’t sure what to think when it started. It seemed so sad. However, things definitely took a turn. Wonderful characters who were able to find their way. SEP certainly has a way of making you fall into the story.
I’m a big fan of Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ books and this one doesn’t disappoint. I stayed up way too late because I was so engrossed in the story. The characters are wonderful and full of realistic quirks. I highly recommend reading Dance Away with Me.
Susan Elizabeth Phillips once again wrote an amazing, intriguing, and emotional journey in Dance Away with Me. Ms. Phillips has us grieving with her characters, running away to start a new life, and dealing with fear, avoidance, and love. Her characters, Tess and Ian, have their own troubles, secrets, and battles to fight but come together to raise a helpless infant left in their care, answer the questions asked by curious teens, and turn around a town suspicious of outsiders. In the area surrounding the small town high in the Tennessee mountains not only live survivalists and off-the-grid types, but a nature at its best, offering solace, peace, and healing to Tess and Ian; offering a solution for their future.
This amazing, emotional, and entertaining story with interesting characters that you want to know and hang out with draws you in and does not let go until you turn the last page. Susan Elizabeth Phillips displayed what she does best, writing a story that enfolds the reader with humor and a wonderful story line while taking the reader on a journey, or maybe an escape. I genuinely enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend this book to other readers.
Oh, I hated for this book to end. Such a great story about building family and friendships out of tattered souls who believe themselves lost. This is SEP at her heart-rending best, creating a bond not of blood, stronger than ever blood could be among a tortured artist, a grieving widow, and a baby born to neither of them. The author pulls no punches in showing human beings at their worst, fumbling around, trying to right their life courses while foolishly believing the best way to protect their hearts is to build more walls around that organ. The reader can’t help but root for these characters on Runaway Mountain in Tempest, Tennessee. And the portrayal of Wren is spot-on. Reminded me very much of the toddler in First Lady.
This was gifted to me for my birthday and I’m so thrilled that it was. What a lovely, easy to read, slow burn romance. I enjoyed every zany detail, every quirky character, and the fast progression of growth couples with the slow progression and heated tension of the burgeoning romance. It was fun, heart felt, humorous, and a perfect Sunday afternoon read.
I have been waiting to read this book for ages and then once I started, I literally couldn’t stop. I read until my eyes wouldn’t stay open last night and I am at work reading between calls today. This book was beautiful. Tess is heartbroken and angrily dancing her pain away…but slowly opens up to the town and all of their crazy glory. Ian is a brilliant tortured artist who left his painful past behind, although one suspects the little boy who was hurting is still buried under there somewhere. I love how strong the women in this book are, and how the men eventually recognize they are not infallible. And I may have cried a little. Whatever.
As always, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, has developed quirky characters who you can’t help but fall in love with.
I loved every word. A heartwarming story.
I absolutely loved this new offering from the oh-so-talented Ms. Phillips. What a beautiful book. I highly recommend it <3
I couldn’t put this book down! Ms. Phillips has created her signature quirky, flawed, fascinating characters who leap off the page and into your heart. I loved Tess’s strength and Ian’s power. The sparks flew between them. Yet there is so much more to this story as the people of the town both condemn and seek out Tess. And then there’s a premature baby who needs a mother. That packs an emotional wallop. This is a book with a tremendous heart and it made mine happy. I highly recommend it!
Three words…Susan. Elizabeth. Phillips.
That is without a doubt enough of an endorsement however, if you need more there are great characters a beautiful setting and some dancing in the rain. SEP will make you laugh and cry and fall in love. She’s the GOAT, just sayin’.
Always a good read from this author.
Love her books.
Loved this book – as I do all Susan Elizabeth Phillips books! I especially enjoy the humor in all her books. Read it – you won’t be sorry!!
I consider SEP to be one of the OGs of contemporary romance. She never fails to engage my thoughts and emotions whenever I read her books. Dance Away With Me is especially affecting for me as a mother who had an extremely difficult labor with my first and only child. I love that SEP balanced the tragic events and serious subject with humor, compelling characters (including secondary ones), small town quirky charm, and of course an intense romance. Totally worth the wait.
Just 5 minutes after putting down my kindle and looking for my phone yo post on bookbub and goodreads my review on my fave author SEP’s new book.
I know that I don’t have any ‘following’ to begin with but I would like to think that somebody looking for an escape this quarantine or just desperate for a good book will scroll this review thru.
In short, Everything was as expected of SEP.
It was brilliant, with lovable unique characters, a good place to start over, a very busy and tight knit town full of crazy well meaning people and two people finding their way to each other and to themselves.
After reading, I thought that this new SEP book was too short and I have a feeling that more books from this small town would grace our world. I would want to visit that place if it were real.
Topics on sex education (the informed one), miscarriages,motherhood, marriages, domestic abuse, grief, love and family.
This one is (as expected from any SEP book) going to the RE READ AGAIN AND AGAIN shelf.! The highest place for a book to stay.
Please continue writing SEP!!!!